


Steel Sakura

by AmberDivine24, MariYuki, OriharaInfobroker



Category: Durarara!!, SPN, supernatural fanfiction
Genre: Dollars (Durarara!!), Durarara!! - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Fanfiction, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, M/M, Supernatural - Freeform, drrr - Freeform, spn fanfiction, デュラララ!!×２ 承 | Durarara!!x2 Shou
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-03-31 09:34:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13972242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberDivine24/pseuds/AmberDivine24, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MariYuki/pseuds/MariYuki, https://archiveofourown.org/users/OriharaInfobroker/pseuds/OriharaInfobroker
Summary: Ikebukuro. The district that never sleeps. Full of lights, wonder, gangs, urban legends, and a bartender who can throw vending machines.This was Maria's home, but she never found herself truly immersed in the city.Starting from a most unfortunate upbringing, this orphan is about to find herself caught in the crossfire of color gangs, an infobroker, a demon hunter, Russian sushi, and a headless rider.





	1. A Baby in a Trenchcoat (Prologue)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OriharaInfobroker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OriharaInfobroker/gifts), [AmberDivine24](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberDivine24/gifts).



> Welcome to my newest work of DRRR!! fiction, Steel Sakura.  
> Based off an ongoing roleplay between me a my friends, you will be experiencing Ikebukuro through the eyes of Yukimura Maria, my original character.  
> The plot settles somewhere in Durarara!!x2, but before Ketsu.*  
> All original characters belong to their creators, and Durarara!! and its characters belongs to Ryohgo Narita.
> 
> *Disclaimer: Being a fan fiction, liberties have been taken in order for the plot to run smoothly. Unfortunately, not all canon elements from the manga/anime/novels will be utilized, and noncanon plots will be present. 
> 
> Co-Creators: Since this work is based off of a current roleplay between me and my friends, a lot of material is being used, and most of it made by people other than me. A lot of Izaya's dialogue comes from OriharaInfobroker, who RPs as Izaya, and Amber's from AmberDivine24, who RPs as Amber.

~ New Years Eve, 19 years prior ~

The decision had been made. It was a difficult decision, given the woman second guessed herself several times. But in the end, the couple made their choice. They were not ready to raise a child. The man had just ascended to the CEO position of his company, and the woman was still going through school. Neither of them would have time for the baby. 

The man ended up going to the church alone, his wife unable to bring herself to go along. The night was cold in Ikebukuro, and small white flakes were falling softly. He held a small bundle carefully in his arms. A soft, pink blanket kept the seven day old neonate warm in the chilly air. The man looked down at his child as he stopped merely steps away from the church. Unlike his wife, he felt little stress to parting with his daughter. Had it been a son instead, then perhaps he would have considered fatherhood. Still, he gazed over the baby girl’s sleeping face. She would become someone else’s daughter, perhaps. Someone else’s responsibility. That was something he was fine with.

After taking some time to observe his child, the man finally stepped forward, walking up the steps of the small church. The establishment had been known to take in unwanted children, raising them in the convent and preparing them for life, or to find families. This place would do. The man knelt down by the door of the building, setting his small daughter on the doormat. He paused a moment, soon removing the long trench coat he had worn along the way. He wrapped it around the newborn carefully, hoping the clothing would provide more warmth. He made not be a father figure, but he still had somewhat of a heart. Lastly, he placed a small card in the front pocket of the coat, standing up and then reaching for one of the large knockers on the door. After a few forceful pounds, he backed away and walked back down the steps. His ears picked up the soft cries of his daughter as she woke from her nap, but he continued to walk away, not looking back.

A minute or so passed before the doors of the church opened. A young woman in a simple dress stood in the frame, looking around to see who had knocked. She wore a soft face, short curls of black hair hugging her cheeks and large glasses resting on her nose. Immediately she heard the baby’s cries, looking down at her feet with a gasp.  
“Oh my, you poor thing!” She spoke softly, kneeling down to pick up the crying neonate. “Shhh….Shhh…. Its okay, dārin.” The nun quickly comforted the baby girl, looking up to see if anyone was nearby. Discouraged to not find another soul in the snowfall, the woman turned on her heels, taking the small bundle inside for warmth.  
“Sister Ami, who was at the door?” A voice rang out from down the hall, its owner soon appearing. It was an older woman with graying hair, tied back in a neat bun. She wore casual attire for the evening, having just finished her work.  
“Oh, Mother Rumi, another one was left at the door,” Ami replied with a somber tone, still holding the crying child in her arms. “This one is much younger than what we usually receive.”  
The older woman widened her eyes, hurrying over to inspect the bundle in Ami’s arms. The girl’s cries began to quiet as the Mother approached, large rosy-brown eyes staring up at the older woman.  
“Good gracious….” Mother Rumi sighed, gently taking the trenchcoat bundle from the sister. “Ami, go get the crib in my office set up. Getting some formula and a bottle ready. This little one will need much care until we can contact the adoption center.”  
“Y-Yes Mother.” Ami nodded, her glasses rising up and down on her nose. She quickly ran off to prepare the office for the baby, whispering a small prayer under her breath.  
Mother Rumi watched as the younger woman ran off to work, sighing and looking back down at the baby in her arms. She raised a brow as she noticed the small card sticking out of the coat, gently removing it to inspect the text. 

‘Hello, my name is Yukimura Maria’


	2. First Interaction

~ 19 years later ~  
\- Sugi’s Karaoke Bar -  
“Oi, brat! Get to serving at that table in the corner!” A loud male voice boomed from behind the counter at Sugi’s. A now eighteen year old Maria was busy bussing tables for the rundown karaoke bar in Sunshine City. She had grown from a rambunctious young girl at the small church to a quiet, but very clever, young woman. After being tossed around like a ragdoll in foster care, she was now on her own in Ikebukuro, slaving away her nights at Sugi’s Karaoke Bar. The night at the establishment had been fairly busy, thanks to an up and coming singer performing for the evening, Azuma.  
“Yes, Sugi-sama… on it.” The girl called back to her boss, sighing and tucking a strand of long, brown hair behind her ear. In truth, she should not have been hired. She was considered underage for this establishment’s work, but Sugi was kind enough to give the rogue teen a job. Maria had bounced around various forms of employment since graduating Raira at the ripe age of fifteen, a feat in itself, and Sugi’s had been her only stable job. No one else was willing to hire a young teen with a knack of computer skills and hacking without worrying of the police cracking down on them. Sugi was different. He took in all sorts of workers from deplorable backgrounds. Being an anxious orphan and prior color gang member, Maria was one of them. The girl finished wiping down her current table before heading towards the corner of the establishment, the designated VIP section. She sighed once more, approaching a table where a young man was sitting.  
“Can I get you anything to drink tonight, sir?” Maria asked somewhat tiredly, taking in the customer’s appearance. The man had jet black hair and wore fairly simple black attire, along with a fur trimmed coat. She noted the color of his eyes, how they gave off a red hue despite being naturally brown. He wore a natural smirk on his face as he looked up at the young girl. Little did she know, this customer was the infamous information broker of Shinjuku, Orihara Izaya.  
“Oh just some sake is quite fine for me,” Izaya replied in a charming voice, looking up from an email he was reading on his phone. He raised a brow at the sight of a girl who looked like she belonged in high school serving as his waitress. "Last time I checked, if you're not old enough to drink, you're not old enough to serve.” The smirk on his face grew, realizing that this establishment was most likely breaking several laws.  
“What makes you think I’m not old enough?” Maria replied hesitantly. If this customer found out about Sugi’s hiring loopholes and reported them, she would lose yet another job. The man simply waved a hand at her, chuckling softly.  
“No need to get defensive, miss. It would just be a shame for the cops to find out and shut this place down,” Izaya replied, leaning back in his seat. “Just remind Sugi-san to serve his best sake, and there will be no issue~.”  
Maria nodded her head a little, swiftly turning on her heel and heading back to the bar. The info broker kept his gaze on the brown haired girl, his signature smirk widening in thought. He soon turned his attention back to the stage, waiting ever so patiently for his partner, Azuma, to finally perform.  
“What did the man want?” Sugi spoke up as his employee neared the bar, grumbling slightly as he tried to get the computer at the counter to work.  
“Just sake. The finest we have,” Maria spoke up, getting a tokkuri and choko ready for the beverage. She glanced up at her boss, noting his issues with the computer. “It’s screwing up again, isn’t it? Did you update the malware?”  
“Tch, don’t try to school me on computers, brat,” Sugi retorted coldly, cursing under his breath as the machine refused to work for him. “Dammit, I’ll have to call the damn technician first thing tomorrow.” The man shut the computer off in frustration, stomping back to the kitchen while mumbling curses. Maria finished preparing the informant’s sake, glancing around a moment before walking to the computer. She turned the machine back on, and with a few simple keystrokes, she got to work figuring out the issue.   
The crowd that had gathered near the stage in the bar grew restless as the act for the night took his time to appear. Izaya furrowed his brow, also irritated by his partner’s tardiness. He let out a disgruntled sigh, looking back to the bar counter for the underaged waitress. The raven noted how she had her back turned to the main floor, watching as she worked away on the glitchy computer.   
“Hmm….” Izaya began to think to himself as he watched Maria slowly, but patiently, clean the hard drive cache and install new malware, saving her boss the expense of a technician. The raven averted his gaze back to the stage when Maria turned around, pretending that he didn’t witness the girl’s talented hacking and installing. Only when he heard footfalls toward his table did he look up, giving a charming smile to the waitress.  
“Here, sorry for that wait, sir,” Maria spoke apologetically, setting the full tokkuri and choko on Izaya’s table. “Is there anything else I can get for you, tonight?”  
“Hm…. just your name.” Izaya replied, his smile looking more mischievous. The question caught the girl off guard causing her to blink a few times.  
“Flirting with waitresses again, akuma? What would Azuma say about that?” Another female voice appeared just before Maria could reply, causing both individuals to look towards its source. A young American-looking woman approached the table, a grinning smile on her face. Her skin was pale, and her brown hair rested on her shoulders, a single braid tucked behind her right ear. Maria noted the woman’s eyes, being a bright blue but with a hint of green haloing the pupils.   
“I don’t flirt with waitresses, tenshi. You’re my worst wingman, you should know this by now~.” Izaya replied with a laugh, pouring some sake into his cup as he nodded for the American woman to sit down.  
“Well… um, my name is Yukimura Maria…” Maria finally answered, standing sort of awkwardly as the female joined the raven.  
“Well, Mari-chan,” Izaya replied, taking a sip of his drink before continuing. “You should kindly remind your boss to be careful about who he hires. Wouldn’t want to attract the police and cause this fine establishment to go under.”  
Maria shuddered slightly, not wanting to possibly lose her job. The brunette who joined the table laughed a little.  
“Y-Yes sir,” The young girl nodded, looking to the woman. “Can I get anything for you, ma’am?”  
“Nothing for me, thanks.” The brunette replied, waving a hand.  
“Okay… excuse me.” Maria gave the two of them a slight bow before hurriedly walking back to the bar. Just as she reached the counter, the singer for the night finally appeared on stage, causing an uproar from the crowd.  
Izaya simply watched the teen walk away, his signature smirk still plastered on his face.  
“Oi, Izaya, what’s the look for? Not planning on actually getting this place shut down, are you?” The woman spoke to the raven, having noticed his expression.  
“Now what would I gain from busting an establishment for underage employees, Amber?” Izaya laughed, looking to the stage as his partner finally appeared. “Besides, that Mari-chan seems interesting. I feel she might be wasted as a waitress here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amber is a character created by my close friend, AmberDivine24.   
> I'm very excited to introduce her in this story, and share her character's history.
> 
> My other close friend here, OriharaInfobroker, roleplays Izaya in our group, so my writings for Izaya are based off our characters interactions in RP and his writing style.


	3. Russia Sushi

~ Evening ~  
\- Sunshine City -  
The lights and sounds of Ikebukuro’s busiest shopping district seemed amplified in the evening air. Street performers entertained tourists, color gangs hung out brandishing their bandanas, and, on the corner of the street, a black sushi chef’s signature voice rang out.  
“Russia Sushi! Come! Eat Russia Sushi! It Good! It Cheap!” Simon had these verses rehearsed flawlessly, a large smile on his face as he passed out flyers to pedestrians.  
Having finished up her shift for the night at Sugi’s, Maria was walking quietly through Sunshine City. Her interaction with Izaya had her a bit on edge, given he figured out she was too young to be working at a bar. If she had known the name Orihara Izaya and his reputation, she might have had a panic attack. The girl just shook her head, trying to clear her mind of any nervous thoughts. She looked up as she heard Simon’s voice at the end of the street. She had seen the Russian sushi chef several times on her walks to work, but she found his appearance slightly intimidating. She had done her best to avoid the establishment, but this night she was too tired to choose a different path to walk. Just as Maria neared Russia Sushi, Simon took the opportunity to advertise.  
“Da, Miss! You hungry! Come! Eat Russia Sushi! We have special tonight!” The Russian spoke happily, attempting to hand a flyer to the girl.  
“Hm?” Maria blinked, stopping in her tracks and cautiously taking the piece of paper from Simon. On cue, her stomach let out a growl as she read over the advertisement. She hadn’t eaten all day, and this store did seem rather enticing. “Do you serve miso soup as well?” She asked softly, looking up at the smiling chef.  
“Yes yes! Good food! Come, inside we serve you good soup!” Simon replied with a cheery tone, gently ushering the girl into the sushi shop. Maria just quietly went along, not wanting to be rude to Simon. The Russian guided her inside, leading her to a seat at the main counter. Another Russian man, Dennis, was behind the counter, hard at work as he prepared curious rolls for customers.  
“What can I get for you tonight, miss?” The chef behind the counter asked, finishing up the plate he was working on and setting it in front of a customer sitting next to Maria.  
“Um… just some miso soup.” The girl replied with a soft voice, shifting on her stool. She was hungrier for more, but she didn’t want to spend too much on food.  
“Just soup?” Dennis blinked, surprised someone would order only a side item. “Okay then, one miso soup coming right up.” The Russian then turned, disappearing from behind the counter for a moment to get the girl’s food together.  
Maria let out a sigh, stretching her arms over her head and taking a glance around the shop. At a table near the corner, four individuals sat. Two of them, a male and a female, appeared to be excitedly chatting over some recently bought manga, while the other two men just ate quietly. The girl’s rose-brown eyes shifted to the next table, settling on a young couple sharing a meal. Maria blinked a bit confused as the girl in the relationship hugged onto her partner, seemingly more interested in him than the sushi. She noted the scar that circled the girl’s neck, indeed strange but somehow normal for this city. Onto the next occupied table, two men sat talking their work over food. One man had long dreads, and the other blond hair and a bartender getup. Maria recognized him right away as Heiwajima Shizuo, the strongest man in Ikebukuro. Anyone in this city with a functioning brain knew not to upset Shizuo, so Maria made a mental note to herself early on to try and avoid crossing paths with him. Finally, her eyes landed on the person sitting next to her. It was a high school boy, still clad in his uniform. She recognized it as a Raira uniform, a small rush of memories coming back to her. She discreetly looked the boy over while waiting for her food. He had a short mess of black hair and dark eyes. He seemed to be wearing a confused expression on his face as he browsed through a forum on his phone. The girl was able to recognize it as the DOLLARS site, having been anonymously invited months back. She wasn’t very active in the group, but seeing this boy commenting on the site confirmed her curiosity about the DOLLARS being a real group.  
“One miso soup for the young lady,” Dennis’s voice snapped Maria out of her thoughts, the Russian placing a hot bowl of soup in front of the girl. He then took a glance to the boy. “Anything else I can get for you?”  
“Huh? Oh! No thank you.” The boy seemed a bit startled as he was addressed, his face slightly flushed as he returned to working on his phone.  
Maria let out a soft giggle, reaching for her soup spoon and taking a sip. She couldn't help but glance back to the Raira student, finally speaking up.  
“Say.. you wouldn't happen to be in the DOLLARS would you?” Maria watched as her question caused the boy to almost flail, doing her best not to laugh.  
“Huh??” The boy blinked, looking at the girl. “W-What makes you say that?”  
“Well, you ARE using the DOLLARS site in public,” Maria replied, waving a hand. “No need to panic. I’m in the DOLLARS as well.” To confirm this, she pulled her phone out, showing her own site to him.  
“Oh! I didn’t think someone else in the DOLLARS would be sitting by me,” the boy replied, laughing nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. “So…. how long have you been in?”  
“Just a few months, but to be honest, I thought it was just a joke. I didn’t think there would be real members.” Maria replied, taking another sip of her soup.  
“That’s what I thought when I got here,” the boy nodded, resting his elbows on the counter. A couple moments passed before he flailed again. “I’m so sorry! I should introduce myself! I’m Ryuugamine Mikado.”  
“Yukimura Maria. It’s nice to meet you, Mikado-kun,” The girl smiled and nodded, glancing over Mikado’s appearance once more. “Raira Academy?”  
“Ah, yes!” Mikado replied, a soft smile appearing on his face. “Do you go to Raira? I don’t think I’ve seen you around school.”  
“Well I haven’t been to Raira in almost four years, so that’s probably why.” Maria responded, taking another sip of miso soup.  
Mikado blinked, trying to fathom the fact that this girl wasn’t still in high school. She should’ve been a third year, right? That must mean she graduated at fifteen. Was that even possible? The boy didn’t realize he was staring at the brunette until she gave him a weird look.  
“Is something wrong with my face?” Maria tilted her head, feeling a little uneasy that the high schooler was staring at her.  
“Ah, I’m so sorry!” The boy flailed again, nearly knocking over his plate of sushi.  
“Mikado, why so clumsy? Eat sushi! Gain good reflexes!” Simon’s booming voice appeared out of nowhere, the smiling Russian placing another plate in front of the high schooler. Maria just chuckled softly, finishing up her soup and leaving some money on the counter.  
“Well, I have to split. It was nice to meet you, Mikado-kun.” The girl spoke, giving the student a wave before getting up to leave.  
“Oh, b-bye, Maria-san!” Mikado quickly waved back, watching the older girl leave before turning back to the chef. “Simon, I really don't need-“  
“You must eat sushi! Sushi very good!” The Russian smiled as he placed another plate of rolls on the counter, paying no mind to the student’s protests.  
Maria walked slowly out of the sushi shop, her ears picking up the random conversations of the other patrons. The two manga geeks at the table of four were bickering over some characters in their most recent reads while their friends did their best to ignore them, the scarred neck girl was musing her weekend plans to her ‘sweet Seiji’, Seiji just nodding at her words, and Shizuo and the man with dreads discussed work. The girl couldn’t help but listen in on the last conversation just before she reached the door, a name being mentioned sparking her curiosity.  
“That damn Izaya. I swear if I see him in Ikebukuro again I’ll kill him dead!” The ex bartender growled, clenching his fists.  
‘Izaya?’ Maria thought to herself, sneaking a glance to the table as she passed by.  
“Now calm down, Shizuo,” The dreadlocked individual spoke reassuringly. “Let’s just focus on work instead of Orihara-san. Don’t forget, we have to visit that apartment complex tomorrow. Let’s try and be on our best behavior for this one.”  
“Tch, okay..” Shizuo grumbled, going back to his sushi.  
Maria turned her head away, finally stepping out of Russia Sushi and onto the busy street.  
‘Orihara Izaya…. where have I heard that name?’ The girl thought to herself, trying to recall where she heard this individual’s name before. She shrugged, deciding to think on it more tomorrow after a good night’s rest. The walk to her rundown apartment didn’t take long, given she didn’t live far from Sunshine City. The girl got out her keys as she walked up the steps of the sketchy complex, reaching her door and entering her small home. The space was small, a bit too small for comfort. Maria’s only saving grace was that she owned few possessions. The girl went through her nightly ritual, cleaning up, unrolling her futon, and checking the DOLLARS site on her old laptop just before bed. She let out a sigh as she read through some color gang forums, checking for any increases of activity and how it would affect her commute to work. After setting up her plan for the next day, she shut the machine off, turning off her desk lamp before curling up on her futon. She stared at the ceiling in darkness as the soundtrack of the busy city echoed through the room, eventually lulling her to sleep.


	4. Chatlog #1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chatroom aliases for original characters:  
> Aiko = Maria  
> Tenshi = Amber

[ Chatroom Log ]  
►►Kanra has entered the chatroom.  
Kanra: YOOOOOOOO!! KANRA’S IN THE HOOOOOOUSE!!!  
Kanra: Huh? Is no one here yet?  
Taro Tanaka: Oh hey, Kanra! Sorry, I was busy reading an article.  
Kanra: Oh? Whatcha reading?  
Taro Tanaka: There was a new article posted about the black rider.   
Taro Tanaka: Apparently it was last seen being chased by the police last night!  
►► Setton has entered the chatroom.  
Setton: Hey guys!  
Taro Tanaka: Hey Setton!  
Kanra: Greetings!  
►►Tenshi has entered the chatroom.  
Kanra: TEEEENNNNSSSHHHIIIIIII~~~  
Tenshi: Calm down Kanra.  
Taro Tanaka: Oh? Is this your friend you were talking about, Kanra?  
Kanra: Indeed it is! Finally got her to join the chat!!  
Tenshi: Only to get you to finally shut up.  
Kanra: Ah you’ve wounded me!!  
►►Aiko has entered the chatroom.  
►►Saika has entered the chatroom.  
►►Bakyura has entered the chatroom.  
Saika: Hi everyone…  
Taro Tanaka: Hey Saika! Oh, hey Bakyura!!  
Bakyura: Greetings and salutations my beautiful peeps! (Minus Kanra)  
Kanra: Hey! What’s that supposed to mean??  
Setton: Guys, look! We have a new person!  
Setton: Welcome Aiko!  
Tenshi: Yo.  
Kanra: NEW PERSON!!  
Aiko: Hello everyone!  
Aiko: Sorry if I’m intruding. I was sent an invite to this chat and decided to check it out.  
Setton: No worries! Welcome to the chatroom!  
Kanra: Hey, has anyone else heard the news?   
Setton: News about what?   
Kanra: There's this rumor going around that there’s a new color gang in Ikebukuro!   
Aiko: Wait. What rumor?   
Taro Tanaka: I don't think I believe that...   
Kanra: Awh come on guys! When have I ever been wrong?   
Setton: It does look like the Yellow Scarves and even the Blue Squares are on edge...   
Bakyura: Uh brb real quick guys. Away from keyboard!  
Aiko: Who are the Blue Squares?   
Saika: Something came up... I have to go...   
Taro Tanaka: No worries Saika.   
Setton: Goodnight!   
Kanra: Farewell!   
Saika: Night everyone...   
►► Saika has logged out   
Aiko: Any idea if the DOLLARS know about the new gang?   
Kanra: I'm not sure. It's still rumors, but it could potentially lead to big fights.   
Setton: Scary...   
Taro Tanaka: What about the DOLLARS?   
Setton: Darn I have to go. Have something to do for work.  
Tenshi: Likewise, Setton. Ya’ll have a good night.   
Aiko: Goodnight!   
Taro Tanaka: See ya!   
►► Setton has logged out   
►► Tenshi has logged out  
Taro Tanaka: I have to go too.   
Aiko: Same. Have to get some sleep.   
Kanra: Goodnight to you both!   
Aiko: Night!   
Taro Tanaka: Goodnight!   
►► Aiko has logged out   
►► Taro Tanaka has logged out   
Kanra: Well guess I should go too. Gets boring when no one is around (✖╭╮✖ )   
►► Kanra has logged out   
Bakyura: What?! HEY I WAS GONE FOR ONLY A FEW MINUTES GUYS!!!  
Bakyura: …  
Bakyura: Well might as well go too X.X  
►► Bakyura has logged out  
►► No one is currently in the chatroom


	5. Rent

~ Maria’s Apartment ~  
Snow was falling softly outside. That was Maria’s first tip that this was a dream. In her deep sleep, she had traveled back to her memories of being seven years old, clutching a small book and watching the snow fall outside through her window at the church. It was the Christmas season, and while the reverend mother and sisters had helped the young girl celebrate her birthday, the one present she wanted never came to be: a family. Given that since her birthday was also Christmas, a young Maria thought her wish had a better chance of coming true. But it would never happen, not even through another twelve years of foster care. The older version of herself just stood in a corner, watching her younger self stare out the window. Even in a dream state, the room was just as she remembered. Small, modest, and very lonely.  Slowly, everything began to blur and darken, and only the image of her younger self stayed in focus, slowly turning to look directly at her future self.  
Forcing herself back to reality, the brunette opened her eyes to find herself in her drab apartment. She let out a sigh, reaching for her phone to check the time. 07:30. Maria let out a groan, having woken up early on her day off. Even if she wanted to go back to sleep, the dream and the outside sound of car horns blaring prevented her from doing so. Instead, the brunette slowly crawled out of her futon, brushing out her long, tangled hair with her fingers as she began her daily ritual. She searched through her dresser for clothes to wear, soon settling on a simple t-shirt and leggings, as well as a pair of flats. Letting out a yawn, she figured a quick shower would wake her up completely, heading towards her bathroom. She let the water start to run and slowly heat up as she stripped from her pajamas. A tattoo of a lavender dragon on her abdomen became exposed as she undressed, reminiscent of her more rebellious years in junior high school, full of rule breaking, illegal hack jobs, and a short lived color gang she helped found. Now, that gang ceased to exist, and Maria developed anxiety from even doing small hacking jobs after an incident that nearly landed her in juvenile detention.  
Maria tried to shake her head of past memories, continuing with her morning procedure and stepping into the shower. She stood under the water just long enough to bathe, not wanting another ‘complaint’ from her landlord about using up all the hot water. Over the course of twenty minutes, she dried off, dressed, tied her damp hair into a side braid, and began to head out her door with her wallet, keys, and phone. Outside, the sounds of car horns, construction, and undelightful shouting from her neighbors became more apparent. Maria just did her best to tune it all out as she slipped on her flats, locking her apartment behind her and trekked across the parking lot to the bus stop. She couldn’t help but overhear two other tenants complaining over the price of rent.

“Fucking blows… he’s increased the payments again in order to collect his repayment to that debt collector!”

“Yeah it’s bullshit, but don’t forget, if he doesn’t pay, we’re all homeless.”

“It’s still shit. This wouldn’t happen if Awashima-san didn’t gamble my hard earned cash at an ikazaya, instead of being a good landlord and having this shithole remodeled.”

“It doesn’t help that the collector has that Heiwajima guy as a bodyguard. He could probably topple this whole place to the ground with a simple flick of his finger.”

Maria shook her head a little as she passed her disgruntled neighbors, arriving at the bus stop down the road a few moments later. Awashima Kousei, the poor excuse of a realtor and landlord that owned the complex she lived at, had been known for overcharging tenants and gambling away the rent money. Now, he had debts to pay off, and the collector, Tanaka Tom, had visited the complex several times with his blond bodyguard. The girl thought to herself about the situation, and how many more hours she would have to put in at work to meet the rent payments. 

‘Perhaps,’ She thought quietly with a slight smile on her face as she stepped onto the next bus heading to Sunshine. ‘Paying extra won’t be so bad if it means we get a chance at seeing that Heiwajima guy launch Awashima-san into a wall.’

~ Junkudo’s Book Store ~  
Inside Ikebukuro’s large bookstore, Amber yawned softly, leaning on her counter. She had spent a long night sharing drinks with Izaya, and watching his partner, Azuma, perform at Sugi’s. She had ended up drinking a bit more to handle the idol star’s painfully auto-tuned voice, and to drown out the screams and squeals of fangirls who had crowded the bar the whole night. Now, she was nursing a slight hangover with a cup of coffee from the in-store cafe, and a few painkillers. She glanced up a moment, about to look back down until a small feminine figure caught her attention. The American squinted her eyes, recognizing the girl to be Maria, their waitress from the night before. The girl appeared to be lost as she looked through some fantasy novels. Standing upright, Amber walked over to help.

“Good morning, anything I can help you find?” Maria jumped slightly at a sudden voice, turning to face the older brunette.

“Oh, um yes… I was looking for…” Her voice trailed off, realizing she recognized Amber. “Hey, didn’t you visit Sugi’s last night?”

“Mhmm… you were serving my friend,” The older woman grinned, holding her hand out. “The name is Amber, Amber Divine. Yourself?”

“Yukimura Maria,” The younger girl nodded, shaking Amber’s hand. “And yeah… I’ve been trying to find a specific book series in a Japanese translation.”

“And what series might that be?” Amber dropped her hand back at her side, still smiling.

“Uhh… I’ve only read a few small excerpts, but its by a man named…. C. Edlund?” Maria scratched her head awkwardly. The book clerk tensed a little at the author’s name, but smiled and shook her head.

“Sorry… I don’t think we have any of his books in stock. Anything else I can help you find?” Maria shrugged, glancing at the books on the nearby shelf.

“Um… J.R.R. Tolkien? I only have one of his books, but I wanna complete my collection.” Amber blinked, nodding her head and guiding the young girl to the fantasy aisle.

“Which book do you have already?” Maria glanced to Amber, who was now searching on the shelves for her.

“‘The Hobbit’… I got it as a birthday gift when I was seven. I’ve read the others, but only when I visited the library during school.” Amber smiled softly as Maria spoke, soon finding some translated copies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, grabbing them and handing them to her.

“So, are you a fantasy reader?” Maria took the books, smiling an nodding her head a little.

“Yeah. I like all sorts of fantasy novels. Even some mythology books.” Amber just smiled as she listened to the girl, leading her back to the service counter to ring up her books. Maria set them down and let the older brunette scan them, looking around quietly.

“If you don’t mind my asking,” Amber started to speak, scanning the barcodes of the books. “You’re rather young to be working at a place like Sugi’s. How long have you been there?”

“Uh… just a couple of months,” Maria mumbled, purposefully staring at a small box of mints for sale on the counter. “Y-Your friend won’t actually report Sugi-sama to the cops, will he?”

“I highly doubt it,” Amber shrugged, looking at her register screen and pulling up the total of the books. “Izaya tends to just say things to see people’s reactions.”

‘Izaya?’ Maria thought to herself, the name popping up again. She glanced up at Amber, who in returned gave her a soft smile.

“I wouldn’t worry, dear. Shutting down karaoke bars isn’t really his thing,” The American reassured her, soon ringing up the total of the books. “That’ll be 2400¥.”

Maria nodded, pulling out her wallet and searching through the bills she had. She set some on the counter, reaching for the books. Amber raised a brow, having a bag ready.

“Do you need a bag or anything, hun?” Maria looked up and blinked.

“Ah yeah… sorry… I’m just in kind of a rush to get shopping done.” Amber nodded slowly, carefully taking the books back to set them in a shopping bag before handing them to Maria.

“Well, I hope you have a great day. If you see me and Izaya at your bar while you’re on shift, don’t hesitate to say hi.” Maria nodded and smiled.

“I will…. thank you for the help, Divine-san.” Amber simply waved a hand, grinning.

“You can just call me Amber if you want. I’m not much for formalities. You have a good day, dear.”  
Maria nodded, apologizing quietly before turning to head towards the exit of Junkudo’s. The American girl watched her quietly, glancing about a moment before pulling her phone out and scrolling through her contacts. She landed on Izaya’s number, composing a message.

‘Next time we go to Sugi’s, don’t seem like so much of an ass, Akuma.’ She pressed send, barely waiting five minutes before a text appeared.

‘Ah Im wounded, Tenshi. I wasn’t being an ass at all. I take it you ran in to her again?’ 

‘Yes I did, and I’m being serious. She seems very timid in general, so no more mind games. I dont get what your interest in her is anyway, but this once don’t purposefully mess with an innocent girl.’ Amber sent her next message, looking up to help a customer who walked up to her counter.

Very rarely did she feel the need to get involved with Izaya’s antics, given she didn’t have the track record of a saint either. But after interacting with Maria for just a little bit, she felt a sort of older sister instinct come back to her, one she hadn’t felt in a long time.  
The brunette finished up helping the customer, glancing down to her phone just as Izaya messaged back.

‘Fiiiiiiine. So bossy, Tenshi~ But I am serious, too. Mari-chan’s skills are wasted at Sugi’s, and I can kinda get the sense she hates it there, and I can probably find a more suitable job for her.’

~ Maria’s Apartment Complex ~  
The young girl returned to her complex after spending most of the early afternoon shopping, holding her bags close as she walked into the complex parking lot. Immediately she took notice of some very audible yelling and a group of patrons standing outside the management building. Tilting her head curiously, she walked over to investigate, carefully pushing her way to the front.

“Careful kid,” One older man spoke up as she passed. “I’d wanna stay out of the line of fire. Awashima-san has pissed off Tanaka-san’s bodyguard.”

“Huh?” Maria glanced back at the man, blinking in confusion. Just as she was about to speak, there was a loud, manly scream as a person could be seen flying out of the office window. 

The older patron that was speaking to her quickly pulled her back and out of the way as shards of glass sprayed out. The entire group of apartment dwellers waited silently as the dust settled, realizing Awashima had been thrown out the window. Slowly, heads turned to look inside, a very angry bartender clenching his fists and about to step out and beat the landlord to a pulp. 

‘Woah calm down, man,” Tom stepped forward and grabbed Shizuo’s arm, effortlessly pulling him back. “You made your point clear. Lets not go scaring the tenants..”

“Sorry…. he was just pissing me off.” Shizuo growled under his breath, pulling his pack of smokes out of his front pocket and lighting one up. Tom sighed and shook his head, glancing to the crowd outside the office. A few of them had walked over to help Awashima up, one calling an ambulance. The rest, including Maria, stood there silently, staring back at the debt collector.

“We apologize that you all have to deal with the consequences of Awashima-san’s actions, ladies and gentlemen,” Tom sighed, adjusting his glasses on his nose. “We wish this could’ve work out under better circumstances. We hope for the best in you future endeavors.” With that, Tom nudged Shizuo’s arm, motioning for them to start leaving the complex.

Maria blinked, wondering what the debt collector meant by that. Around her, the tenants began to curse and grumble again, dispersing and heading back to their homes. Maria followed along, glancing back to the group around Awashima just as an ambulance began to arrive. She shook her head, turning to head to her unit.  
Thats when she saw all the papers. Posted to every door in the complex. 

“No…no no no no…” Maria mumbled, quickly heading to her door, hoping there wasn’t one posted as well. Her hopes were crushed as she saw a similar white slip, dropping her bags to the ground as she slowly read.

‘Notice of Eviction: Due to unforeseen circumstances, this complex has been scheduled for closing. Management is allowing tenants 30 days to vacate the premises. Please make sure to take all your belongings as you leave. We apologize for the inconvenience.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C. Edlund is the pseudonym for Chuck Shirley, aka God, in Supernatural. Amber Divine is an OC who has been used in Supernatural roleplays and fanfiction, so her backstory for that fandom is being used for Steel Sakura as well. - MariYuki


End file.
